Music

Bands & Projects

 

Saariselka There is an old Norse myth that says the great northern glaciers stored energy until they burst with fluorescent light, creating the Aurora Borealis. Saariselka is inspired by the meeting of earth and light, where slowly moving land masses merge with enveloping light fields.  This sonic collaboration is between composers Marielle Jakobsons (Fender Rhodes, organ, synthesizers) and Chuck Johnson (pedal steel guitar and treatments.). Our debut track Ceres is released in 2018 by Longform Editions, and our debut full length out on Temporary Residence “The Ground Our Sky”” was released in 2019.

Marielle V Jakobsons  I create enveloping polyrhythmic soundscapes and melodic drones woven with synthesizers, strings, flute, keys, bass and voice.  My third full-length album, Star Core, is available now via   Thrill Jockey.  In concert I perform as a multi-instrumentalist with synchronized projection created on my visual music instrument.   My last album, “Glass Canyon” is composed of violin and analog synthesizers and was released by Students of Decay in 2012.  My first full-length “Ore” was released by Digitalis in 2009 under the moniker “darwinsbitch,” along with other releases on Aphonia Recordings.  All previous recordings + more live bonus material available on the MVJ Bandcamp.
 

 

photo by Carly Hoopes

Founded together with Gregg Kowalsky Date Palms (datepalmsofpsalms.com) is violin, flute, Fender-Rhodes, and synthesizers with Ben Bracken on bass, Noah Phillips on guitar, and Michael Elrod on tanpura. The music is influenced by hot summer nights, classical Indian carnatic music, dub, Miles Davis. In Summer 2013, The Dusted Sessions was released by Thrill Jockey.  Our debut LP Of Psalms was released on Root Strata.  Our second LP Honey Devash was released  by Mexican Summer August 2011.  Listen to some tunes on Soundcloud

 

Myrmyr in Silver Springs, MD

Together with multi-instrumentalist Agnes Szelag we form the electroacoustic duo myrmyr (myrmyr.net), and toured the US. “The Amber Sea” album was released by Digitalis (2009), and our second album ‘Fire Star’ by Under the Spire Recordings (2011).  We compose often for ensembles, performing with the SFSound Group, Unweathered Embers Ensemble, Helena Espvall, Derek Johnson, & Noah Phillips.  Listen to our albums and collaboration with Helena Espvall of Espers on the Myrmyr Bandcamp

 

Selected Collaborations
Portraits (with members of Tarantel, Barn Owl, and more)
Chuck Johnson
Terrane
EJS (with Helena Espvall of Espers)
Paul Clipson (film)
ARP
Oakland Active Orchestra
Mark Wilson (film)
Alee Karim & the Science Fiction

Dusan Tynek (Dance)
Odawas
TrioMetrik
Barn Owl
Altar Eagle [of Digitalis Industries]
Theatre of Yugen (Dance/Theater)
Moe!kestra

Discography

 

2019

     Saariselka ‘The Ground Our Sky” LP/CD/digital on Temporary Residence Ltd
     V/A + Saariselka “Thousands Of Eyes in the Dark”  LP/digital on Ghostly International

2018

     Saariselka ‘Ceres’ digital on Long Form Editions

2016

Marielle V Jakobsons ‘Star Core’ LP/CD/digital on Thrill Jockey Records

2013

Date Palms ‘The Dusted Sessions’ LP/CD/digital on Thrill Jockey

2012

Marielle V Jakobsons ‘Glass Canyon’ LP/CD/digital on Students of Decay

Espvall/Jakobsons/Szelag CD ‘Improvisations for Strings & Electronics’ on ArachniDiscs

Portraits s/t LP on Important Records
Portraits is: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Jon Porras, Evan Caminiti, Gregg Kowalsky, Tony Cross, Lisa McGee, Steve Dye, Michael Elrod, Maxwell Croy, and Marielle Jakobsons

Pulse Emitter / Date Palms / Expo 70* /Faceplant*4 Way Split(2xLP, Ltd) on Immune Recordings

2011

Date Palms ‘Honey Devash’ LP on Mexican Summer

Myrmyr ‘Fire Star’ LP/CD on Under the Spire Recordings

2010

Date Palms ‘Of Psalms’ LP on Root Strata

Myrmyr ‘Improvisation at the Meridian Gallery’ in Leonardo Music Journal December 2010, Vol. 20.  LM20 CD Companion: Sounds Like Now: Improvisation + Technology

2009

darwinsbitch ‘ore’ CD on Digitalis

myrmyr The Amber Sea’ CD on Digitalis

2008

darwinsbitch ‘steel hum’ cassette on Digitalis Ltd

‘Sounding Out’ California Composers Award Compilation NEXMAP

2007

darwinsbitch ‘Induction’ Aphonia Recordings EP

 

Selected Recording Discography as Instrumentalist:
Violin on Chuck Johnson’s Blood Moon Boulder on Scissor Tail
Flute on Terrane’s Basalt Palisades on Sonic Meditations
Violin on Barn Owl’s Ancestral Star on Thrill Jockey
Violin and Voice on Evon’s The Bees Are Coming on Aphonia Recordings
Violin on Gregg Kowalsky’s  Tape Chants Kranky & Tendrils In Vigne Root Strata & Through the Cardial Window Kranky